*No purchase is necessary. One entry per email address per month. Along with sweepstakes entry, you will receive occasional TheraBreath newsletters containing valuable oral care tips and exclusive product savings. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Archive for the ‘Dentists’ Category

Dr. Harold Katz, also known as the “Bad Breath Doctor or the “Bad Breath Guru“, toured the country testing people for halitosis. When Dr. Katz tests people’s bad breath, he uses a device called the ‘halimeter’. A score above 100 means that someone likely has halitosis. A person who has a score under 100 means that their breath is fairly fresh. Many people were relieved when they found out that they had low scores on the halimeter.

Unfortunately, it’s hard for a person to smell his or her own breath. Blowing in one’s own hand is not a way you can really test how bad your breath is. According to Dr. Katz, he says “it’s a good way to smell your hand.” So, how does one try to smell his or her own breath? Dr. Katz says that if you lick the back of your hand, allow it to dry, you can smell if you have halitosis. Allegedly, the halitosis-causing bacteria will remain on the back of your hand, thus letting you know that you might have bad breath.

All in all, Phoenix passed the “Bad Breath Test“, since Dr. Katz couldn’t find anyone with dragon breath! That means that the Phoenicians are “kissable”, just in the nick of time for Valentine’s Day.

Happy new year everyone! Since we all want a fresh start with the new year, why not also start with fresh breath? In order to combat bad breath, we need to know what causes it in the first place. Anaerobic bacteria exists in the biofilm that is formed on the tongue, and these bacteria break down proteins in food, resulting in the production of offensive smells due to gases like hydrogen sulphide and skatol.

Here are some tips to help avoid halitosis this new year:

1) Proper oral hygiene. One should gargle with lukewarm water after eating, even if it’s just a snack. Brushing should be done 2-3 times a day, and you should also use floss and a tongue scraper. Add TheraBreath to your daily regimen.
2) Proper brushing techniques. Avoid brushing too vigorously, as this does damage to the gums. Excessive brushing can damage tooth enamel. Try to brush the upper teeth in a downward direction, and the lower teeth in a upward direction.
3) Tooth picks
4) Food habits. Some foods that people eat are certainly smellier than others. Sometimes they say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but a raw onion a day keeps everybody away.” Also, try to maintain regularity in food timing.
5) Water intake. Keep hydrated to maintain a stable level of saliva.
6) Natural fresheners. Try spices like clove, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and cumin seed. Citrus fruits can help banish bad breath.

And if these bad breath cures do not work, try the following:
1) Remove the underlying cause. Get checked out for general and systemic diseases like gastric disorders, diabetes, fevers, liver diseases, etc. If you have an infection, antibiotics, antifungal and antiviral medicines can help. You may even want to try saliva-producing tablets.
2) Get regular dental checkups and cleanings. If you have caries, make sure they get filled.
3) Tonsillectomies can help if you have recurrent tonsilitis.
4) Homeopathy. In this case, medicines are selected based on the physical, mental, social, and emotional characteristics of a person.
5) Psychological counseling. Sometimes chronic halitosis sufferers are very depressed and have the tendency to avoid the public.

In Palm Beach County, FL, the health department is giving local dentists a new tool to help others, called the “Sim Man“. It may not be an actual human, but dentists can use it to simulate real life scenarios and even help save lives.

People can use it to play different medical roles and have the “Sim” character function as if it was a real patient. The robot can mimic functions of a real patient with the breathing and blood pressure, so it can be monitored and cared for properly. The exercise is believed to aid medical professionals in reacting properly in actual crises. One thing the robot could be lacking from a real human, though, is bad breath.

Aside from brushing and flossing, there are other things that your dentist could you tell so you can better care for your teeth. There are secrets that dentists know that their patients do not. These usually include the following:

1) Your dentist can tell if you smoke. Even if someone brushes their teeth or tries to cover it up with mints, gum, or mouthwash, the smell is actually embedded in the mouth, especially the gum tissue!

Smokers are also 4X more likely to get periodontal disease than those who do not smoke.

2) The oral bacteria that causes cavities can spread on food and cutlery. For instance, mothers will share their utensils and food with their kids, but bad bacteria can be spread this way. This also goes to say that one should take special care when kissing (especially their little ones) if he or she has gum disease or cavities, since these bacteria are contagious.

3) When most people brush, they only clean less than 1/4 of their mouths! Most people brush for 30 seconds or less, and good oral hygiene requires at least five minutes of brushing and flossing each day. One should brush at least 2-3 minutes at a time, and floss for 1-2 minutes each time. When people brush only 30 seconds, they are missing their back molars 90% of the time.

4) Bleaching Teeth Too Much Can Make Them Translucent! Teeth whitening can thin the enamel, so never bleach your teeth more than once every six months. If the gel bothers your gums and teeth, try a fluoride rinse or gel before and after using the bleaching gel. This will make your teeth less sensitive.

5) Don’t get your mouth deep cleaned when you only need a regular cleaning. Some dentists want to charge your insurance more, so they will tell you that you need a deep cleaning when you do not. Those who need a deep cleaning are people who have a lot of tartar on their roots or other symptoms of disease.

Check out this really cool interactive dental game that you can play online! You also can learn a lot about dentistry while playing it. It is a lot more fun than actually going to the dentist– you can take our word for it.